The development of various integrated circuit devices such as calculators, watches, microprocessors, etc., has increased the importance of display devices. These integrated circuit devices and other similar devices process or store information which often requires rapid and frequent reading. Particularly desirable in such display devices are low power consumption, color, good visibility (high contrast and large viewing angle) and low cost. In many applications, display persistence is highly desirable, both to save electrical power and for operational convenience. Devices which exhibit display persistance need not have electrical energy applied to it to maintain a particular display. Thus, operationally, electrical energy is only applied (usually in the form of electrical pulses) when the display is changed.
Solid ionic conductors are used in a variety of applications including as solid electrolytes in batteries and in solid electrochromic (WO.sub.3) displays (see Solid Electrolytes, edited by Paul Hagenmuller and W. Van Gool, Academic Press, New York, 1978 and Electronics, Jan. 18, 1979, p. 67).